Autopsy reveals murder victim’s cause of death

Published 12:22 pm, Thursday, October 18, 2012

An autopsy performed on 25-year-old Kechi Marie Diaz showed her death was the result of blunt force injuries to the head due to assault, a Floyd County official confirmed Thursday.

Sex offender Edward Delgado Hernandez, 50, has been charged with Diaz’s murder after authorities said he called 911 from his Lockney home to report his girlfriend was dead.

Justice of the Peace Kelly Dunbar attended the autopsy Wednesday and confirmed the forensic finding.

Earlier on the night of Oct. 12, police said Hernandez had picked Diaz up in Lubbock and driven her to Lockney. Investigators were initially uncertain as to whether Diaz was murdered that Friday night or during the early hours of Saturday.

Floyd County Sheriff Paul Raissez has remained tight-lipped about the investigation, but earlier said the quiet town of Lockney was shocked over the murder.

Hernandez, who was previously paroled for the 1986 aggravated sexual assault of a 7-year-old girl, is being held at the Hale County jail with bond set at $500,000. His last place of employment listed with the Texas Department of Public Safety is Cargill Meat Solutions of Plainview, though the company said he hasn’t worked there in over a year.

The Floyd County Sheriff’s Office said Diaz lived in Lubbock, but she apparently has Plainview ties.

According to a post on the website of Resthaven Funeral Home of Lubbock, a candelight vigil in memory of Diaz will be held at Lloyd Woods Park in Plainview at 9 p.m. Saturday. However, the funeral home could not confirm that event, and as of late Thursday neither a time nor date for funeral services were listed under Diaz’s name.